Wire pliers



y 1930. c. c. MILLHEAM 1,760,358

WIRE PLIERS Filed July 18, 1929 Patented May 27, 1930 UNITE 3 TES rarer WIRE rLIEns Application filed July 18,

The invention relates to pliers for twisting wires together or .for holding them while the twisting is being done by some other means, some of the principal uses of the tool being in the field of line erection and maintenance and in the construction of forms for cement work.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive, yet an efficient and desirable tool in which the wires have no tendency to open the aws by which they are held.

A further object is to provide a unique construction in which the two jaws are cffectively held against any relative movement whatever except about the pivot by which they are connected.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the phers open and engaged with two pieces of wire.

Fig. 2 is an edge view showing the pliers closed.

Fig. 3

is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation as indicated by line 3-3 of 5 and (l are perspective views of the front portions of the two crossed levers, said portions constituting the jaws of the pliers.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a plate which forms part of the front portion of one of the levers.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numerals 8 and 9 denote two crossed levers pivoted together at their crossing point as denoted at 10, the rear ends of said levers constituting handles. The front end 11 of the lever 8 is shorter than tie front end 12 of the lever 9, and the front edge of said 45 short lever end 11 formed with a notch 13 having a straight rear wall l l and opposed side walls 15, the rear wall 14 being preferably at ahoutright angles to the length of the tool while at least one of the side walls 15 is preferably at a slightly acute angle to 1929. Serial No. 379,255.

said rear wall i l. This rear wall is preferably of such shape transversely to provide it with the convex form seen more particularly in Fig. l.

The relatively long front end 12 of the lever 9 is provided with an integral lug 16 which projects beyond its inner edge 17, in front of the lever end 11, said lug 16 being provided with a straight rear edge 18 extending across the notch 13 and cooperating with the latter in forming an elongated slot (Fig.

to receive wires W while t isting them together with the pliers or while holding them with the pliers incident to twisting with some other means. The edge 18 of the lug 16 is opposed to the rear wall l l of the notch and both of these formations are transverse to the length of the tool. Thus, when they receive pressure from the wires N, such pressure is exerted forwardly on one jaw of the pliers and rearwardly on the other aw and has no tendency whatever to separate said jaws, so that the operator need not continually force the handles together with great force, as in the ordinary pliers.

The front edge portion 19 and the inner edge portion 20 of the lever end 11, are pref erably thinned to a thickness less than that of the lever end 12 and its lug 16, and the inner edge 17 of said lever end 12 and the rear edge 18 of said lug 16, are grooved at 21 and 22 respectively, to receive said thinned lever portions l920. his construction effectively locks the two jaws of the pliers nst any relative movement other than tl a which maytake place about the pivot 10. Moreover, the transversely convex form of the notch wall 14, tends to distort the wires XV somewhat into the roove 22, thereby effectively hOlCliDgSaid wires against relative longitudinal sliding while they are being twisted together.

In the preferredform of construction, the thinned portions l9-20 are formed by the front and inner edges of a hardmetal plate 23, in which plate the notch 13 is formed. This plate forms the front extremity of the lever 8 and is secured in a recess 24 of the major portion of said lever, by rivets or the like 25. VVhen one plate becomes worn, it

may be removed and another substituted. However, the construction under consideration is intended primarily to permit the installation of plates having notches 13 of any desired sizes, according to the size of wire to be held or manipulated with the pliers.

Excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed and they are therefore preferably followed. Within the scope of the invention as claimed however, variations may be made. Particular attention is invited to the fact that the pressure of the wires against the tool jaws, has no tendency to open the latter, this being due to the relation of jaws herein described, which relation I term off-(enter jaws.

I claim 1. Wire pliers comprising two crossed levers pivoted together at their crossing point, the front end of one of said levers being shorter than the front end of the other lever and being provided in its front edge with a wire-receiving notch, said notch having a rear wall and opposed side walls, said rear wall being transverse to the length of the pliers while said side walls extend in planes longitudinally of said length, said other lever end bein provided with a lug pro'ecting from its inner edge in front of sai short lever end and extending across said notch, said lug having a rear edge opposed to and spaced forwardly from said rear wall of said notch, said rear and side walls of said notch and said rear edge of said lug co-operating in forming a wire-receiving and holding slot when the levers are in closed position.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said short end of said one lever being thinned at its front and inner edges to a thickness less than that of said front end and lug of the other lever, said front end and lug of said other lever being grooved to snugly receive said thinned edges of said one lever end.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1; said short end of said one lever being thinned at its front and inner edges to a thickness less than that of said front end and lug of the other lever, said front end and lag of said. other lever being grooved to snugly receive said thinned edges of said one lever end, said rear wall of said notch being transverse- 1y convex to slightly distort the wires into the groove of said lug,

4. \Vire pliers comprising two crossed levers pivoted together at their crossing point, the front end of one of said levers being shorter than the front end of the other lever, the front extremity of said short lever end being formed by a relatively thin plate secured to the major portion of this lever, the front edge of said plate being formed with a notch having a rear Wall and two opposed side walls, said rear wall being transverse to the length of the pliers while said side walls ex- 

